Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU)
Rural Case Study

Pelham, MA

Pelham lies within the Quabbin Reservoir watershed in central Massachusetts. The town is 31 miles north of Springfield, 85 miles west of Boston, and is situated between Routes 90 and 91. A large percentage (84%) of the homes in this largely rural community are owner-occupied. Roughly one percent of homeowners have built accessory dwelling units.

Why it works:

While the ADU zoning provisions do not place affordability requirements on the accessory units, the small floor area and restricted number of tenants mandated in the bylaw create housing for a broader range of income and age levels.

The Town has not implemented an amnesty program for existing apartments. This ensures that units under this bylaw will meet new code requirements.